Two productions of ‘Amahl’ offered in Perrysburg

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‘St. Tim’s Discovers’ at St. Rose Parish
PERRYSBURG – St. Tim’s Discovers, a music series offered by St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Perrysburg,
will open the holiday season with the beloved opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" at 8 p.m.
Dec. 7 at St. Rose Parish, 215 E. Front St., Perrysburg.
Presented by the Bowling Green Opera Theater from the College of Musical Arts at Bowling Green State
University, the 45-minute opera composed by Gian Carlo Menotti was first broadcast on Christmas Eve
1951. It continues to share the story of miracles and forgiveness.
The opera tells of Amahl, a poor crippled shepherd boy, and his mother who are visited by the Three Kings
on their way to see the newborn Christ child.
The composer said of his work, "This is an opera for children because it tries to recapture my own
childhood. You see, when I was a child I lived in Italy, and in Italy we have no Santa Claus … Our gifts
were brought to us by the Three Kings, instead. To these Three Kings I mainly owe the happy Christmas
seasons of my childhood, and I should have remained very grateful to them."
The production is directed by Geoff Stephensen with Emily Freeman Brown conducting members of the Bowling
Green Chamber Orchestra. Musical preparation is by Kevin Bylsma and Tammy Metz Starr served as the
choreographer.
The cast features Jennifer Cresswell as the mother, Bethany Post and Maddie Russin alternating as Amahl,
Tyler Dohar as King Kaspar, Richard Channell as King Melchior, Dean Moore as King Balthazar, Zach Shoot
as The Page, as well as a chorus of shepherds.
The event is free to the public with a free will offering taken to defray expenses.

St. Timothy Episcopal Church website at http://www.saint-timothy.net.
Perrysburg Symphony at Zoar Lutheran
Gabriel Omlor will play the title role in "Amahl and the Night Visitors" presented by the
Perrysburg Symphony on Dec. 12 at Zoar Lutheran Church.
The concert repertoire will be of interest to families and will include Leroy Andersons’ Sleigh Ride,
with percussion help from children in the audience. Amahl and the Night Visitors will be presented with
soloists and choir from Zoar Lutheran Church.
Gabe is a fifth-grade student at Beverly Elementary School, who loves performing on stage and playing the
electric guitar. His previous on stage theater credits include: Ragtime (Edgar), Les Misérables
(Gavroche), Beauty and the Beast (Chip), with 3B Productions. The Music Man (Winthrop), with Perrysburg
Community Theatre, and A Christmas Carol (Tiny Tim) with The Toledo Rep.
Other soloists include Sonia Perez (mother), James Burns (Kaspar), Michael Searle (Melchoir), Omaldo
Perez (Balthazaar), Patrick Barrett (Page).
Choreography is by Clark Ausloos, with Robert Mirakian conducting.
The concert will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Zoar Lutheran Church, 314 E. Indiana Ave.  
The program is offered free of charge through generous patron donations and the Zoar Foundation.  A
reception of holiday sweets will follow the program.

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